Renamed Pier 44 restaurant reopens next week

After a six-month hiatus, Pier 44 will reopen its doors to the public next week under new management and a new name, “On the Water,” owner David Pallotta told selectmen Tuesday night.

“We’re very excited about getting the restaurant back up and running,” Pallotta’s attorney Bill Ohrenberger told selectmen.

Ryan Bray

“We’re very excited about getting the restaurant back up and running,” Pallotta’s attorney Bill Ohrenberger told selectmen.

Pallotta and Ohrenberger briefed selectmen on the status of the restaurant, which closed its doors in November. Pallotta, who took ownership of the restaurant in 2003, said public support for the establishment has dwindled in recent years. When recent attempts at reinvigorating the restaurant with the addition of Studio 44, a dance club geared toward a younger crowd than the restaurant, failed to drive up attendance, Pallotta closed the restaurant in hopes of reopening it with new management.

The restaurant, Pallotta told selectmen, will be under the day-to day management of Carol MacManus, owner of the local catering company “The Borrowed Butler” off the Driftway. MacManus will replace the restaurant’s former manager, Jim Burke.

“I’ve known her my whole life,” Pallotta said of MacManus. “She saw this as an opportunity to expand upon her business, and I think she’ll do a great job.”

The restaurant will also abandon its long-standing Pier 44 moniker in favor of “On the Water.” Pallotta said keeping the Pier 44 name might have contributed to past problems with the restaurant, as patrons likely expected the same food and service they had been receiving for years, even though the establishment was under different management.

“I think the biggest mistake we made with (Burke) was not changing the name sooner,” Pallotta said.

Selectmen raised some concerns regarding the status of the establishment’s liquor license, which is still under Pallotta’s name. Selectman Paul Reidy asked if the license had to change hands from Pallotta to MacManus, who will be the executive chef and day-to-day manager at the restaurant.

“I just don’t want to come across a situation where we encounter a problem and that license-holder isn’t there,” Reidy said.

Ohrenberger said a license transfer would not be necessary because ownership of the restaurant has not changed hands. Pallotta added that while problems have come up in the past regarding after hours noise at the restaurant, there have never been any issues with the restaurant’s liquor license.

“We’ve never had a problem,” he said.

Pallotta said the restaurant would open slowly, first with the bar area beginning next week. He said the restaurant would reopen in full after it is fully re-staffed. About 35 positions are open and waiting to be filled, Pallotta said.

“I’m very excited and happy to see it reopened,” he said. “I just hope people come out and support it.”